Containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses a containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion, and the containing apparatus includes a containing space disposed in the containing apparatus, an air cushion installed in the containing space, and an inflating device and a deflating device installed in the air cushion for inflating and deflating the air cushion respectively, so as to change the size of the air cushion and adjust the degree of tightness for attaching objects in the containing apparatus.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a containing apparatus with aninflatable/deflatable air cushion, and more particularly to a containingapparatus with an air cushion capable of adjusting the level ofattachment and protecting the object in the containing apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,768 discloses a container having a cushioning devicefor protecting shock-sensitive equipment in the container, and thecushioning device comprises a plurality of fluid-filled pockets, suchthat when the contents of the container collide with the container dueto shaking, the cushioning device can effectively absorb impacts andprevent shock damages to the contents of the container. U.S. Pat. No.6,176,613 discloses a packing bag with an air cushion, and the aircushion has a device for inflating and deflating air. After the aircushion is inflated, most of the heats flowing inside and outside thepacking bag are isolated, such that the packing bag can have goodeffects of heat insulation and preservation. The design comes with aninside bag and an outside bag, wherein the outside bag has an air nozzleprovided for users to inflate air into a sealed space formed bycombining the inside and outside bags. When the packing bag is not inuse, air can be released from the air nozzle of the inside bag. Theprior art has a protecting pad inside the container to achieve theeffect of protecting the contents of the packing bag, but in a practicaluse, the contents of the packing bag usually come with different sizes.Thus, when the packing bag is in use, objects in the container maycollide with each other or with the container constantly. Although theprotecting pad can absorb impacts, precision products such as notebookcomputers or precision measuring instruments will be affected by suchshaking, and the effect of the protecting pad will not be as good asexpected. The design also comes with a packaging bag that can beinflated or deflated by an air nozzle, and the key point of theinvention completely resides on the heat preservation, but thestructural design has not taken the protection of precision productsinto account, and thus designers still need to find a way of tightlywrap the contents of the packing bag by the inflating/deflating devicewithout having the air nozzle protruded to the outside and causinginconvenience for its transportation. Furthermore, the design of havingan airtight space formed by the inside and outside bags for inflatingand deflating air, such that the air inflation is even, but cannotprotect special positions or achieve the effect of reducing impacts onthe precision products. Therefore, designing a containing apparatus withan inflatable/deflatable air cushion, such that the air cushion can beadjusted to attach the objects in the containing apparatus andeffectively absorb impacts is the key disclosure of the presentinvention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the shortcomings of the structure of a traditionalpush-button switch and its panel, the inventor of the present inventionbased on years of experience in the related industry to conductresearches and experiments, and finally invented a containing apparatuswith an inflatable/deflatable air cushion, such that users can slightlyadjust the degree of tightness for the objects in the containingapparatus. It is a primary objective of the present invention to providea containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion, andthe containing apparatus has an inflatable/deflatable air cushioninside, and the degree of tightness of the air cushion can be adjustedfor wrapping the objects in the containing apparatus. To achieve theforegoing objective, a containing apparatus with aninflatable/deflatable air cushion of the invention comprises: acontaining space, disposed in the containing apparatus; an air cushion,disposed in the containing space; and an inflating device and adeflating device, both installed at the air cushion for inflating anddeflating the air cushion respectively, so as to change the size of theair cushion and adjust the degree of tightness for the objects in thecontaining apparatus, and users can slightly adjust the degree oftightness of the inflatable/deflatable air cushion for wrapping theobjects in the containing apparatus. The above and other objects,features and advantages of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description taken with the accompanyingdrawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a containing apparatus with an aircushion before being inflated in accordance with a preferred embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a containing apparatus with an aircushion after being inflated in accordance with a preferred embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a containing apparatus with an aircushion before being inflated in accordance with another preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a containing apparatus with an aircushion after being inflated in accordance with another preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a containing apparatus with aninflatable/deflatable air cushion in accordance with another preferredembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a closed containing apparatus inaccordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To make it easier for our examiner to understand the objective,innovative features and performance of the present invention, we use apreferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings for a detaileddescription of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 forperspective views of a containing apparatus with an air cushion beforeand after being inflated in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention respectively, the containing apparatus with aninflatable/deflatable air cushion comprises a body 115, a cover 114, aninflating device 21, a deflating device 25 and an air cushion. After thecover 114 is covered onto the body 115, the containing apparatus forms acontaining space (not shown in the figure), and the containing apparatusis a bag substantially a rectangular body made of plastic, leather ornylon. The air cushion is composed of four lateral support bodies 22,four corner support bodies 23, four edge support bodies 24 and a lateralprotecting body 26. The air cushion is disposed in the containing space(not shown in the figure) of the bag, and the inflating device 21 andthe deflating device 25 are installed at the air cushion for inflatingand deflating the air cushion respectively. Further, an inflating device21, four lateral support bodies 22, a deflating device 25 and a lateralprotecting body 26 are disposed in the body 115 of the bag, and the fouredge support bodies 24 are disposed at the four edges in the rectangularbody 115, and the four corner support bodies 23 are disposed at the fourcorners of the rectangular body 115. The inflating device 21 is fixed ata pump of the air cushion, and the pump 21 has a pressing portion, andthe pressing portion can be pressed for inflating the air cushion. Thedeflating device 25 is a blow-down valve for deflating the air cushionby pressing the blow-down valve 25. The bag body 115 has a handle 112, atransparent window 111 and a zipper 113 disposed at an external side ofthe bag body 115. Users can see the inflating status inside the aircushion from the outside of the bag through the transparent window 111and carry the bag by holding the handle 112. Further, the bag body 115has a plurality of solid dots disposed on an internal side of the bagbody 115 for absorbing impacts and protecting the objects in the bag.When the containing apparatus is in use, an object such as a notebookcomputer (not shown in the figure) is put inside the bag body 115, andthe bag body 115 is not attached closely with the object. After the bagcover 114 is covered, a zipper 113 is used to close the bag body 115 andthe cover 114. By pressing the pressing portion of the pump 21, air isinflated into the air cushion. The air can be passed sequentially fromthe lateral protecting body 26, the four lateral support bodies 22, thefour corner support bodies 23 to the four edge support bodies 24 toinflate the whole air cushion, and the blow-down valve 25 can be pressedanytime to deflate the air in the air cushion, so as to change the sizeof the air cushion and slightly adjust the degree of tightness forattaching the objects in the bag body 115 and preventing the objectsfrom shaking in the bag. With the protecting design on the lateral sidesand four corners of the bag, the air cushion can achieve the effect offully absorbing shocks and vibrations. After the adjustment has beenmade, it is not necessary to adjust the size of the air cushion againfor containing objects thereafter. It is noteworthy to point out thatthe bag cover 114 of this embodiment includes a lateral protecting body(not shown in the figure), a plurality of solid dots (not shown in thefigure) and four lateral support bodies (not shown in the figure), forenhancing the protection. If the bag comes with several layers, the aircushion can be installed separately in each layer of the bag forproviding a better protection to the objects. The design of thedeflating device 25 improves the applicability of the bag, such that thebag not only works with the foregoing inflating device to achieve thefunction of slightly adjusting the air in the air cushion, but alsocompletely inflates the air cushion to tightly attach the objects. Theair cushion can be deflated when it is necessary to remove the objectfrom the bag. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively for perspectiveviews of a containing apparatus with an air cushion before and afterbeing inflated in accordance with another preferred embodiment of thepresent invention and FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively for the bottom view ofthe inflatable/deflatable air cushion 3 and a schematic view of closingthe containing apparatus in accordance with the present invention, thecontaining apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion iscomprises of a casing 12 and an inflatable/deflatable air cushion 3,wherein the casing 12 is a bag which is substantially a rectangular bodyas shown in FIG. 5, and the inflatable/deflatable air cushion 3 iscomposed of a plurality of air pads 341 and a plurality of enhanced airpads 342 and interconnected linearly with the inflating device 31 (whichcould be an external inflator) and a deflating device 32 (which could bea blow-down valve). By pressing the external inflator 31, users caninflate the inflatable/deflatable air cushion 3 by passing air throughthe interconnect channel 33 to each interconnected air pad 341 and eachenhanced air pad 342. By pressing the blow-down valve 32, users canreleases the air in the inflatable/deflatable air cushion 3. The bag 12is comprised of a body 121, a cover 122, a zipper 123, a plurality ofsolid dots 124 and a plurality of solid dots 125 disposed respectivelyon the body 121 and the cover 122. The body 121 has a vertical thicknessprecisely disposed around each air pad 341 and each enhanced air pad 342of the inflatable/deflatable air cushion, and the external inflator 31and blow-down valve 32 interconnected with the inflatable/deflatable aircushion 3 are installed at the cover 122 and interconnected with theinterconnect channel 33 and the air pads 341 and enhanced air pads 342.The positions of the air pads 341, 342 are arranged in a way that theenhanced air pads 342 can be situated precisely at the four corners ofthe body 121 to enhance the protection of the four corners. In FIGS. 4and 6, a notebook computer 4 (or any other devices) can be placed intothe body 121 of the bag 12 of the inflatable/deflatable air cushion,when the containing apparatus is used. After the cover 122 is closed,the external inflator 31 and blow-down valve 32 are situated preciselyat the corners of the bag 12. As shown in FIG. 6, it is convenient forusers to press the external inflator 31 or the blow-down valve 32. Afterthe inflatable/deflatable air cushion 3 is inflated as shown in FIG. 4,the air pads 341 and enhanced air pads 342 are inflated to attach thenotebook computer, so as to achieve the effect of protecting thenotebook computer 4. With the enhanced air pads 342 installed at thefour corners, the present invention can absorb shocks and vibrationsmore effectively. In summation of the description above, the presentinvention complies with the patent application requirements, since theinflatable/deflatable air cushion is installed in the containingapparatus, and users can slightly adjust the degree of tightness of theinflatable/deflatable air cushion for wrapping the objects in thecontaining apparatus, and the products derived from the presentinvention can satisfy the market requirements. While the invention hasbeen described in terms of what is presently considered to be the mostpractical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that theinvention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On thecontrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similararrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claimswhich are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and similar structures.

1. A containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion,comprising: a containing space, disposed in said containing apparatus;an air cushion, installed in said containing space; an inflating deviceand a deflating device, both installed in said air cushion for inflatingand deflating said air cushion respectively, so as to change the size ofsaid air cushion to adjust the degree of tightness for attaching objectsin said containing apparatus.
 2. The containing apparatus with aninflatable/deflatable air cushion of claim 1, wherein said inflatingdevice is fixed at a pump of said air cushion, and said pump has apressing portion for inflating said air cushion by pressing saidpressing portion.
 3. The containing apparatus with aninflatable/deflatable air cushion of claim 1, wherein said inflatingdevice is an external inflator, and said external inflator is coupled tosaid air cushion for inflating said air cushion.
 4. The containingapparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion of claim 1, whereinsaid deflating device is a blow-down valve, such that said blow-downvalve can be presses and opened to release the air of said air cushion.5. The containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion ofclaim 1, wherein said containing apparatus is a bag having a handleprovided for holding and a zipper for opening and closing said bag. 6.The containing apparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion ofclaim 5, wherein said bag is made of a material selected from thecollection of plastic, leather and nylon.
 7. The containing apparatuswith an inflatable/deflatable air cushion of claim 5, wherein said bagis substantially a rectangular body, and said inflatable/deflatable aircushion is interconnected linearly with said inflating device and saiddeflating device by a plurality of air pads and a plurality of enhancedair pads, such that when said inflatable/deflatable air cushion isdisposed around the periphery of said bag, said inflating device isdisposed at a corner of said bag, and said enhanced air cushions aredisposed at four corners of said bag.
 8. The containing apparatus withan inflatable/deflatable air cushion of claim 5, wherein saidinflatable/deflatable air cushions are disposed on a plurality oflateral sides in said bag, and said inflating device and said deflatingdevice are disposed on one of said lateral sides.
 9. The containingapparatus with an inflatable/deflatable air cushion of claim 5, whereinsaid bag has a plurality of solid dots disposed in the interior of saidbag for absorbing impacts and protecting objects in said containingapparatus.